Round two of the December 5 episode of The X Factor USA 2012 featured the contestants as they delivered fan-voted, fan-designed Pepsi Challenge performances. CeCe Frey, the last of Young Adults mentor Demi Lovato’s finalists still in the running for the $5 million prize, opened the round with a number that was distinctly CeCefied, but not her best effort.

With the exception of the shock of platinum blonde hair, the hopeful looked very much like the original, pre-Demi CeCe when she hit the stage to sing Katy Perry’s hit “Part of Me”. Decked out in denim short-shorts, a colorful fishscale-inspired tank and studded boots, she strutted her stuff in flashing neon lights amid a group of back-up dancers. It was a great effort and her heart was one hundred percent in the performance, but vocally, it lacked. She went off-key more than once and the issues really took away from the overall effect.

LA Reid wasn’t impressed, and quipped “if there were ever a karaoke performance that was it”. Britney Spears disagreed, calling it “very entertaining”. She also praised CeCe for having fun on stage. Simon Cowell appreciated her “defiant” posture and said he’d miss her if she leaves because she’s a “tryer”. Demi said “you made me proud” and said “if the princess of pop thinks you did a good job, you did a good job”. CeCe thanked the judges for their comments and encouraged America to help her make next week’s semifinals. As Simon said, CeCe is most definitely a “tryer”, and she seems like a genuinely nice girl who desperately wants a career in music. But she’s also the most uneven performer left in the mix. She should get the boot during tonight’s double elimination, but her Warriors are a force with which to be reckoned, so she could well make it through to sing again. See what happens during The X Factor USA 2012’s top 6 results show tonight at 8 PM on FOX.